After a failed attempt to get a train ticket from Delhi to Hyderabad to meet with IIM Indore students about live projects. I was sent to Hyderabad. In 6 minutes tickets to Mumbai were sold out after having 80 seats available at 9:55am and at 10:07 am I was 76th on the wait list.

So a nice 6am bus ride to Delhi was the start of my trip. Man it was a long bus ride at 7 hours after getting up at 4am to make sure I was packed and ready. My boss dropped me off at the train station and checked me in. He waited until they started boarding before leaving me. All the while I was staring at the one open food stall thinking of breakfast. I settled for boondi on the bus ride.

I got to Delhi and after turning away a porter and an auto driver who turned out to have given a reasonable price I made my way out of the bus station. I got to the train station hours early after insisting the driver not bother finding another passenger in order to reduce the cost. Along the way he stopped and prayed at a temple. After sitting for hours I opted to stand at the train station until I went in search of the women's washroom that turned out to be out of water. I then signed in to the ladies waiting room and waited for the train. When the train was announced I headed to the platform.

I could have gotten my broken suitcase wheel fixed but I was unsure what part of the platform I was supposed to be on so I bought some juice and asked someone. Turns out I was supposed to be at the front of the platform when I was currently in the middle. Good thing I didn't agree to get the wheel fixed. I got to my seat and found I was the only female among 5 men but thankfully across the aisle was a lady with her daughter and another lady. All were pleasant but ignored me. The men had their conversations and I just sat and people watched until meals were served. When we almost go to Hyderabad one asked assuming I was South African and if my hair was natural.

One of the ladies turned out to be a Kashmiri and I got to hear some of the Kashmiri language which sounded different from the other Indian languages I have heard. When I got to Hyderabad it was o great back to the heat. When someone says Hyderabad cooled down it means its still summer weather. So I found my way to the bus stop ignoring the auto drivers and hopped on the first bus heading my way which meant transferring at Kukatpally. I got on a crazy crowded bus in Secunderabad and stood behind the driver trying to keep my knees away from the gear shift.

Would not have guessed I would make it back in time to catch an Aparna shuttle and avoid an auto ride. On the bus I met a nice lady who lives in Block A.